What did the prophet of the Most High do?
He TURNED many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
He operated in the Spirit and power of Elijah.
He TURNED the hearts of the fathers to the children.
He TURNED the disobedient to the wisdom of the just.
He made ready a people prepared for the Lord. [2]
What an excellent example for us!
Turn people, turn fathers, and turn the disobedient to the Lord and to the justness of HIS ways!
John prepared people for the arrival of the Messiah by giving them the knowledge of salvation “by the remission of their sins through the tender mercy of God.” [3]
Are you ready for Messiah’s return? Have you brought your sins to the Lord Jesus and asked Him to forgive you and cleanse you of all your sins?
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” [4]
The first step on the road of preparation for the Lord’s return is to acknowledge our need for Him. We need His blood sacrifice on the cross for our sins. We need it applied to our lives personally by confessing to Him our need for His cleansing. As the writer of Hebrews testified, “Almost all things are by the Law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” [5]
Jesus said, “This is My blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” [6] He referred to the communion cup filled with the fruit of the vine which He instituted to be drank in remembrance of His atoning sacrifice on the cross. We don’t sacrifice lambs or bulls anymore as was done in the Old Testament because the observance and trust in the shed blood of Christ to atone for our sins is sufficient before God for our forgiveness.
John the Baptist preached, “Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough ways smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” [7]
Did you hear that? All flesh shall see the salvation of God! That includes you, me and everyone else!
John the Baptist urged his listeners to bear fruits worthy of repentance. He told them, “Even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” [8]
The people asked John for action steps, saying, “What shall we do then?” He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” [9]
Showing kindness and grace towards others is deemed a TURN toward the Lord. These acts of love are a sign of our respect for our Lord Jesus Christ. These actions prepare us to meet Him.
John the Baptist testified of the transformation work that Jesus Messiah does when we turn to Him with all our hearts and are ready to serve Him. What does Jesus do? “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” [10] Praise the Lord!
Have you received the Holy Spirit? This is what Paul the Apostle once asked some disciples whom he met in Ephesus. They hadn’t even heard about the Holy Spirit. So, Paul laid his hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. [11]
The Holy Spirit infilling is vital to the ministry of witnessing for Jesus. Vital for discipleship! Vital for spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth! Vital for preparing people for the Lord’s return! In fact, the angel Gabriel told the father of John the Baptist, “He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.” The Holy Spirit was the source of John’s power to turn so many people to the Lord.
[1] Luke 1:76
[2] Luke 1:16-17
[3] Luke 1:75-76
[4] 1 John 1:8-9
[5] Hebrews 9:22
[6] Matthew 26:28
[7] Luke 2:4-6
[8] Luke 2:8-9
[9] Luke 2:10-11
[10] Luke 2:16
[11] Acts 19:1-6
[12] Luke 1:15
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